STORY OF THE RETROGRADATION OF THE SUN FOR THE SAKE OF THE LORD SULIMÂN, BY ORDER OF THE LORD OF LORDS.

This event took place in the following manner: On a certain occasion costly horses were presented to Sulimân— u. w. b., etc.—the sun was setting, and he unwittingly neglected to recite his evening orisons. Sulimân—as is well known among the people—was so affected by this omission, that he drew his sword and separated the legs and necks of the horses from their bodies. He, whose glory is to be magnified, has said: ‘When those [horses] standing on three feet, and touching the ground with the edge of the fourth foot, [and] swift in the course, were set in parade before him in the evening, he said, Verily, I have loved the love of [the earthly] good above the remembrance of my Lord: [and have spent the time in viewing these horses] until [the sun] is hidden by the veil of [night]; bring the [horses] back unto me. [And when they were brought back] he began to cut off [their] legs and [their] necks.’* In this verse the words sâfinat va jiâd mean horses that stand on three legs and on the edge of the hoof of the fourth foot. The word ‘good’ alludes to the horses, and in the Hadith [tradition] the phrase ‘good’ in connection with their foreheads is added. In this blessed verse ‘the remem­brance of the Lord’ means ‘prayers.’ It is related that A’li the elect—u. w. b., etc.—said: ‘How is it possible to conceive that a prophet could do an act which a tyrant would scarcely attempt to commit?’ [i.e., of killing horses by muti­lating them]; and the words fatafiqa mashan bissuqi walla’nâqi mean only that Sulimân rubbed their legs and necks with his hands, and presented them all to valiant men who went to religious wars; and God Almighty, for the purpose of pacifying his conscience, caused the sun to rise in the west, so that Sulimân recited his prayers at the appointed time. ‘This is a favour of Allah; He giveth it to whom He pleaseth.’